Folding container punch



March 27, 1951 KMA 2,546,257

FOLDING CONTAINER PUNCH Filed Nov. 6, 1947 B INVENTOR 5! ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITE-D STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE f t 546,257 E QQEQQQ INE HING George E. Eckman, Ol adelh N. JQassignor to American Gan-Company, New York, N; Y.,' a corporation of New Jersey I: a etite s el e 6, 1947, Serial no. 7343s;

The present invention relates to container or caribpening'devices and has particular 'reference than impreved'two 'piec'e' roldame penenopener oft-he lev'rtype ior qiiickly and e'asilyproducing a pouring opening in lid'uid holding containers having'a fulcrum serving projection such-as end-seam or joint. I a a An object of theinvention is the provision of a punch opener whichis'foldable, in jackknife fashion, into a compact form 'ofasiz'e're'adily adapted to be'carried in a, vest pocket andwnerein sharp points and projecting elements are protected or"shielded to prevent injury to-clothing or "to the user and'which" when unfolded 6r extended to its full lengthprovides a' i igid opener auaptedro produce a pouring opening, in one arcuat'e movernentof the opener, inliduidholding' containerssuch 'asbeen'cans', t j-u'ice-cans,

Another object is the provision of such an opening devicewhich is made-of two pieces hing- 'edly' connected insuchamannee asgte facilitate 'cOhIp QJCt'foIding f the" device while" simultaneeusiyprov-mmg for rig-id c'e'operatien between the pieces when'in an extended "relation for use. if nether object is --the provision of such an Opening-device wherein the-two pieces 'com pris'ing the device nayse locked tegetnei when n a folded relation o preventinadvertmt openi g the deviceand similarly may e iocked together when-inan extended relation to preventcollapse ofthe device when in use; 1 miner" us other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better under- "stoi id from the renewing description, which, 5

taken in connection" with the accompanying drawings, discloses" a preferred embodiment thereof.-

"Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a. perspective view of an opening device in ready-for-use position embodying the instant'invention'; v

Fig. '2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and showing the device in'an inverted position;

'- "Fig.3 is a side View of the device folded into inoperative position; andr r Figs. 4,5, and 6 are enlarged fragmentary views illustrating the hinge portion of the device and showing theparts of the device in different positions.- I

"As a preferred embodiment of the instant inventionithe drawingsillu'strate a two piecepunch opener'generally comprising a punch member A and'a' h'a-ridle member B permanently-connected :by a hinge 0: The members A and B are conwith; 0130-16) structed preferably from steel plate of like thickness and widthwhich insures sufficient strength Without superfluons'bulk and may be nickel or chrome plated to enhance their appearance and to protect them against rusting.

The punch member 'A comprises a fiat plate section II whi'ehat its outer end is deflected out of its plane in a downwardly (as viewed in Fig. 1) curved, triangular shaped punch or cutter [2 having sharp side cutting edge l3 which merge into and terminate in a sharp piercing point l4. At its inner end the punch member A terminates in a pair of spaced hollow pintle bearings-l6;

The p-intle "bearings iii are disposed one on each side of the plate section I I adjacent its longitudinal edges so as to spread the bearings as far apai't'as possible, to insure lateral rigidity in conjunction with the handle member 3' The pintle bearings 16 preferably areform'ed from the material of the plate section I I, this material being bent downwardly (as viewed in Fig. 1-) out of the plane of the plate'section and thenceinwardly and upwardly, against the under face'of the plate section in a substantially cylindrical formor'loo'pas best shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

The tail or terminal ends of the loops or cylindrical bearings [6 are slightly fiattened, these tail ends being formed with a curvature which is slightly less than that of the remaining por tion of the bearings so that the distance across the inside of' the bearings at'these tail portions is slightly less than'the .true in'side diameterof the bearings. These slightly flattened tail portions constitute locking wall sections 51' having a locking function which will be-hereinafter ex- Dlained. l a

Between the two pintle bearings the punch member A is formed with a stop lug extension 2! which is an integral portion of the plate section H. This stop-lug 21' projects outwardly beond the punch member at a-downwardangle (as viewed in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6) to the plane of the punch member and terminates j'ust'beyond the pintle bearings It. This lug engages against the handle member B whenthe members .A and B are in operating position as shown in 1..

Intermediate its ends, the punch member A is formed'wi-th ahook shaped fulcrum or pivo'; log 23 (Figs. 2 and 3) whichfpreferablyris struck out of the material of the plate section 1! I. This hook is adapted to engage the underside of a container rim, seam -orothenproiectioni The handle member :33 like theipnnch member A comprises a" flat p a'ie section 25. At its outer end the handle member is formed with 'anzaper- 3 ture 26 which may be used for hanging the device in a convenient place. This end of the handle member may also be cut away in such a fashion as to form a bottle cap removing hook. 21.

The inner end of the handle member B is connected to the punch member A. For this purpose, the handle member is formed with a T shaped fiat pintle 28 (see Fig. 2) which extends beyond the plate section 25 and projects downwardly at a slight angle to the plane of the plate section 25 as best shown in Fig. 4. The pintle is formed with a pair of flat laterall extending trunnions 29 (Figs. 4, and 6) which engage in the pintle bearings l6 of the punch member and are confined against displacement. The trunnions are of a width just suiiicient to engage within the pintle bearings with a freely rotative fit, except when an edge of the trunnions engage against the locking section I; of the bearings when the fit becomes tight for locking the handle in place.

When the opening device is not in use or is to be carried or packed in a small space, the hinge connection C permits ready folding of the handle member 13 under the punch member A into the position shown in Fig. 3. In this compactly folded or nonoperating position, the sharp piercing point it of the punch member A engages against the plate section 25 of the handle member B. The point is thus protected or shielded from inflicting injury or damage to person or clothing. In this position of the device members, the cutting edges i3 and the fulcrum 23 are also shielded so that no projecting portion of the device is exposed. In this folded relation of the opener members, an edge of the pintle trunnions 29 is wedged against the locking sections ii of the pintle bearings it as best shown in Figs. 3 and 6 and this locks together the opener members and thus prevents inadvertent opening while in a pocket or other place where damage could be done by the piercing point hi if the members should spread apart.

When the device is to be used in opening a container, the handle member B may be hinged outwardly on its hinge connection C as shown in Fig. 5 from the position shown in Figs. 3 and 6 to that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. In its fully unfolded position the handle member B provides an extension of the punch member A, the plate sections H, 25 of these members lying in planes which are substantially parallel to each other, one slightly below the other as shown in Fig. 4 with their longitudinal side eges in parallelism and locked against displacement by the s.op lug 2| and the wedging action of the edges of the pintle trunnions 29 against the locking sections H of the pintle bearings E as shown in Fig. i. In this extended and locked relation of the mem- I bers, the stop lug 2| extends over and engages against the top surface of the handle member B as shown in Fig. 4 and imparts rigidity to the two piece construction as a whole.

In this extended and rigidly locked relation of the members A and B, the opener may be applied to a container to be opened by engaging the fulcrum hook 23 under a projecting rim or end seam with the piercing point M engaging against the adjacent wall of the container. A quick, steady, upward pressure applied to the handle member B will rock or pivot the opener on its fulcrum 23 and thus cause the piercing point M to puncture the container wall and then cause the cutting edges 3 to cut the wall in such a fashion that a triangular shaped pouring open- 4 ing is formed in the container with one arcuate stroke of the opener. The cut metal is thereby bent inwardly against the wall of the container and the contents may be readily poured from the opening thus produced.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A device for producing a pouring opening in a container wall, comprising a punch member, a handle member hingedly secured to and foldable against the punch member in jackknife fashion into a nonoperative position, said punch member at its outer end being deflected out of its plane and terminating in a piercing point and at its inner end terminating in a hollow pintle bearing of substantially cylindrical form, said pintle bearing including a locking wall section of a lesser degree of curvature than the remaining portions of said bearing, said punch member having a stop lug projecting beyond said punch member and engageable against said handle member for holding said punch member and said handle member in a rigid extended operating position when the members are unfolded, said handle member at its inner end terminating in a pintle engageable in said pintle bearing for hingedly connecting it to said punch member, said pintle having a face engageable with said locking wall section of said pintle bearing for locking said handle member in nonoperating position when the handle member is folded against said punch member, said handle member when in folded position being disposed against and shielding said piercing point when the device is in folded position, and fulcrum means on said punch member for engaging under the top rim of a container to rock said punch member inwardly when said handle and punch members are in extended position, whereby to cut a portion of a container wall and to deflect inwardly said out portion, said fulcrum means when the device is in folded position being disposed be-.

tween said handle and punch members.

2. A device for producing a pouring openin in,

against the punch member in jaekknife fashion, into a nonoperative position, said punch memberat its outer end being deflected out of its planeand terminating in a piercing point and at its.

inner end terminating in a hollow pintle bearing of substantially cylindrical form, said pintle bearing including a locking wall section of a lesser degree of curvature than the remaining portions. of said bearing, said punch member having a stop lug projecting beyond said punch member and engageable against said handle member for holding said punch member and said handle member in a rigid extended operating position when the members are unfolded, said handle member at its inner end terminating in a fiat pintle engageable in said pintle bearing for hingedly connecting it to said punch member, said pintle having opposed edge portions separately engageable with said locking wall section of said pintle bearing for locking said handle member in nonoperating position when the handle member is folded against said punch member and for locking said handle member in an extended operating position when it is unfolded, said handle member when in folded position being disposed against and shielding said piercing point when the device is in folded position, and fulcrum means on said punch member for engaging under the top rim of a container to rock said punch member inwardly when said handle and punch members are in extended position, whereby to cut a portion of a container Wall and to deflect inwardly said cut portion, said fulcrum means when the device is in folded position being disposed between said handle and punch members.

3. A device for producing a pouring opening in a container wall, comprising a punch member having an outer end deflected out of its plane and terminating in a piercing point and having an inner end terminating in a hinge element, a handle member hingedly secured at its inner end to the hinge end of said punch member and foldable against the punch member in jackknife fashion, the hinge elements of said punch and handle members engaging one another in a wedged action when the members are folded thereby 1ocking them in a non-operative position, fulcrum means formed in said punch member between its piercing point and its hinge element and being deflected out of the plane of the punch member on the same side as said deflected piercing point for engaging under the top rim of the contai-ner, and a stop lug formed integrally with and projecting beyond the hinged end of said punch member and engageable against said handle member for holding said members in rigid extended operating position, whereby rocking of said extended punch and handle members about said engaged fulcrum means forces said piercing point into the wall of the container cutting out a portion of the container wall and deflecting it inwardly in the production of said pouring opening.

GEORGE E. ECKMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 43,670 Colburn Aug. 2, 1864 2,188,352 Hothersall Jan. 30, 1940 2,238,753 Robie Apr. 15, 1941 2,412,946 Bloomfield Dec. 24, 1946 

